January 7-13, 2015

Issues concerning ethnic armed forces

Democratic Voice of Burma (privately-run) “Red Shan presumed still in KIA camps.” 8 January, 2014

• Shan rights groups claims that KIA still has 17 Red Shan detained who have apparently been released on December 20th. Only four villagers returned home, leaving the rest unaccounted for.
• The Taileng (Red Shan) National Development Party (TNDP) accused the KIA of “forcibly conscripting the villagers to joint he rebel army”. The KIA has denied these accusations. 
• After pressure from the Burmese authorities, the KIA released 26 of the 51 detainees. 
• It is reported than of the 26, only 21 are among those missing, and of the 21, only four returned to their homes; two were children and two had disabilities. 
• Dau Hka, coordinator of the KIA’s liaison office in Kachin State stated that all the villagers requested were released. 

Burma News International (privately-run) “Burma denies planting of mines on international border.” 8 January, 2014

• Burma denies planting mines on the border with Bangladesh.
• A Burmese official sent a letter from Maungdaw, it states: “it may be the handiwork of some miscreants who wanted to destroy our goodwill to a neighboring nation.”
• The bombs are reported to be handmade and locally manufactured. The Burmese army does not use those kinds of explosives.
• Some believe that it could be the work of some of the ethnic armed groups within the country.
• Bangladesh border security forces have discovered 39 mines along the international border with Burma. 

Reform and peace process

Democratic Voice of Burma “Health, education spending to increase in 2014.” 9 January, 2014

• President Thein Sein promised to increase health and education spending during a budget meeting on January 7th .
• The education budget will increase from 5.43% to 5.92%.
• The health budget will increase from 3.15% to 3.38%.
• Several other proposals were put forward including free education for mid-level students and increased benefits for civil servants.
• Burma’s total tax revenue for the 2013-2014 fiscal year was around US$16.6 billion, and the government’s total spending reached US$19.7 billion, creating a considerable deficit.
• The estimated GDP for the net fiscal year is around US$68 billion.

“Burmese military appoints two women MPs.” 13 January, 2014.

• Burmese military has appointed two female officers as representatives in parliament for the first time.
• In October, Burma’s armed forces opened recruitment for females for the first time in over 50 years. 

“Rohingya call on govt for inclusion in 2014 census.” 13 January, 2014.

• “Two Rohingya political parties issued a plea to the government last Friday not to be categorized as ‘other’ in the upcoming census.” They claim they are “bona fide citizens” and are entitled to recognition as an ethnic minority group. 
• Ethnic minorities unrecognized by the government, as well as foreign nationals, will be classified as “other”.
• David Scott of Human Rights Watch states: “It should be a basic right for the Rohingya to be recognized as a minority group in Burma, even if the deeply flawed 1982 Citizenship Law excludes them… it’s a frankly racist policy, and the census process is endorsing it.”

Eleven (privately-run) “Japan to provide Yen 10 billion towards peace process.” 8 January, 2014.

• “Japan has pledged Yen 10 billion to aid conflict-affected communities and to support the peace process in Myanmar.”
• The Japanese government had already provided Yen 91 billion when the Prime Minister visited the country last May. It also received another Yen 63 billion at the Myanmar-Japanese Summit held in Tokyo in December that was held to support development and infrastructure projects.
• This loan will be directed towards the peace process and to raise the standard of living in conflict-affected areas. 
• Special envoy, Yohey Sasakawa, was appointed to help in the peace process and to coordinate between the government and ethnic armed forces.

Myanmar Times (joint state/privately-run) “’We can’t leave the army behind’ says Suu Kyi.” 11 January, 2014.

• “Daw Aung Suu Kyi has used her Independence Day speech to stress the importance of the military’s involvement in amending the constitution.” 
• Some are accusing her of only focusing on amendments that benefit her party.
• Suu Kyi said the army should be involved in the efforts to amend the constitution for the interest of national reconciliation.
• She says: “We must recognize that the army is part of the country. We can’t ignore that. So whatever we do, we need to cooperate with the army and the army should be respectful to the public’s wishes.”
• Some believe she is willing to cooperate with the army, which holds considerable power in parliament at the moment, but not with all other parties or democratic forces.

Miscellaneous: China supports Arakan refugees - U Wirathu organizes an assembly

Democratic Voice of Burma “China builds temporary homes for Arakan refugees.” 13 January, 2014

• Temporary houses are being built in Kinchaung village in the northern Arakanese town of Maungdaw. The shelters are being built for Arakanese Buddhist refugees who have escaped persecution in Bangladesh.
• The project is sponsored and paid for by the Chinese government.
• Local residents are employed for the construction work.
• Each house can hold six people. 17 will be constructed for the 100 Arakanese refugees seeking shelter in a Buddhist monastery in Maungdaw.
• An administration office, library and medical center will also be erected. 

Burma News International “Monks’ assembly to discuss proposed ban on inter-faith marriage, says U Wirathu.” 11 January, 2014

• Controversial firebrand monk, U Wirathu, is organizing an assembly of monks in Mandalay on January 15th to discuss his proposed ban on inter-faith marriages.
• About 5,000 monks are expected to attend. The assembly will also establish the Upper Myanmar Association for the Protection of Nationality and Religion.
• U Wirathu said the discussion about the draft law would aim at enforcing the ban in order to prevent future outbursts of communal violence.